Interview With an International: Haseeb Hassan
From Pakistan to Europe: Germany, Amsterdam, and Leiden
Born and raised in Pakistan, 35-year-old Haseeb Hassan moved to Germany 11 years ago to pursue a master’s degree. After a semester abroad in Tilburg in the Netherlands, Haseeb found himself drawn to the country’s international environment and the prevalence of English in the workplace. “The Netherlands is more international, which is why English is more acceptable for a lot of jobs,” he reflects. The strong international community was one of the main factors in his decision to stay in the Netherlands, where he accepted a job in IT in Amsterdam.
After nearly five years in Amsterdam, Haseeb faced challenges in finding suitable housing, leading him to move to Leiden almost four years ago. He now owns a house just outside the city centre and has truly settled into the Netherlands. Along with buying his home, Haseeb secured his permanent Dutch residency – both highly rewarding achievements for him. To become a Dutch resident, he learned the language and successfully completed a A2-level language exams.
Navigating Cultural Surprises and Challenges
Haseeb’s experience in the Netherlands has been shaped by several cultural surprises. One significant adjustment was adapting to the Dutch work culture, which he describes as horizontal, where everyone is encouraged to share their opinion: “The benefit is that you get multiple perspectives,” Hasseb explains. “The downside is that sometimes, people who lack expertise in a particular area can be very insistent on their views.”
He also had to get used to the Dutch directness in both professional and social settings. Unlike in Pakistan, where hosts might hint subtly that it’s time to leave, some Dutch hosts are straightforward. “When visiting a friend's house, they will tell freely when it’s your time to go,” he says with a smile. This straightforwardness has influenced Haseeb’s own communication style which his wife had to get used to in the beginning
Another adjustment involved getting accustomed to biking, a common mode of transportation in the Netherlands. While Haseeb acknowledges the convenience of biking for many, he admits he has struggled to fully adapt. “I’m used to driving, and I’ve had some frustrating experiences with biking, like when it started raining unexpectedly or when my bike was stolen”, he shares. Despite these challenges, he understands the popularity of biking.
Haseeb also encountered the unique Dutch custom of using Tikkie, a mobile payment app for splitting bills. “We went for breakfast at someone’s place, and they calculated how much everyone owed using Tikkie. It was funny,” he recalls.
Another cultural difference for him was the Dutch habit of not using curtains on windows, which Haseeb still finds difficult to relate to. Finally, Haseeb had to adjust to the Dutch tendency to eat dinner much earlier than in Pakistan. When hosting Dutch guests, he’s more mindful, but he admits if his guests share a simiar cultural background, he might serve dinner later!
Building a Community
Haseeb shares that he has fewer Dutch friends and more international ones, a pattern he’s observed among many internationals. Frequent travel for work led to a busy schedule, leaving him little time to build connections. During his time in Amsterdam, weekends were often spent catching up with friends.
Despite a smaller social circle, Haseeb has enriched his life through hobbies like squash, painting and theatre, finding these activities a meaningful way to connect and stay engaged. Although most of his friends and colleagues are based in Amsterdam and the Hague, Haseeb enjoys Leiden’s peaceful vibe, which contrasts with the noise and chaos of Amsterdam. He also appreciates the excellent connections to other cities in the Netherlands, making travel convenient.
With his wife now living in Leiden, Haseeb enriched his life and expanded his network even more. He has recently discovered meet-up groups and is considering joining them to broaden his social circle.
Lessons Learned and Advice for Other Internationals
Before moving to the Netherlands and settling in Leiden, Haseeb wasn’t aware of resources like Leiden International Centre that could have eased his transition. He also lacked knowledge about the rental laws, leading to a challenging experience in Amsterdam: “At one point, I was paying a lot more rent than I should’ve been paying because the landlord was scamming me,” he explains.
Although Haseeb has already built up his life in the Netherlands, he envisions settling down further in Leien and possibly buying a bigger house. As a Dutch national, he plans to stay in the Netherlands for a while, but also notes that “it depends on how my wife feels.” Furthermore, Haseeb is committed to keeping up learning Dutch, something he wishes he had started earlier, and he recommends others to do the same to better navigate life in the Netherlands.
